Legacy of Tucker Syling

[Tuckeroo]

I'm sure I'm not alone in speculating "what might have been" had the Tucker survived into the 50s and 60s, even on to today. One way of doing that is to look at the possible influence that Tucker had on other designers and cars. In the links below I've focused mainly on styling influences (and this isn't even my complete list!) Later, I'll try to work up a list of engineering influences, but for now, I like to imagine that somewhere in there is a hint of what a 50s and beyond Tucker would have at least looked like.

When Tucker meets Davis: hints of both in this design from the 50s:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/23/why-dont-we-have-crash-proof-highways/

(rear fender grilles, tail lights viewable from side, unusual front headlight set-up)

How about when Tucker Torpedo meets LaSalle in this 2005 Virgil Exner Jr. design? (may have been posted before):

http://www.madle.org/exjlasalle.htm

(free standing fenders, pronounced prow, 10 vertical tail lights reminiscent of the 6 on Lawson's Torpedo design)

...And another design from his younger days:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/MechanixIllustrated/3-1947/junior_styles_cars/junior_styles_cars_2.jpg

(rear-engine 4-door sedan with spinner grille)

Of course, everyone has made the Studebaker comparison before, here's a design from Loewy for a car of the future:

http://www.theavanti.com/car_future.htm

Some interesting safety research:

http://www.theavanti.com/safety_car.htm

And if Studebaker had continued with spinner design from 1950-1951 into it's 1953-1954 design (right front side of clay model, lower left picture):

http://cll.hemmings.com/uimage/759378-1000-1340.jpg

Same again, 3/4 front view of right side, center picture:

http://cll.hemmings.com/uimage/759379-1000-1396.jpg

Here's a Torpedo-like design from GM in 1949 (center steering, rear-engine). Note that the Tucker itself appears on page 69 of the article with the unfortunate mention that "...it looks like Tucker's dream won't come true (at this writing, anyway).":
[url]
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/03/ ... ngine-car/[/url]

And here's a Carioca(!)-like design from GM in 1950 (even has steerable headlights atop the front wheels):

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/07/08/are-these-gms-cars-of-tomorrow/?Qwd=./MechanixIllustrated/8-1950/gm_tomorrow_cars&Qif=gm_tomorrow_cars_0.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=XL#qdig

Finally, looking way, way, ahead, into a galaxy far, far away...

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Narglatch_XJ-2_airspeeder

(Yes, it is based on a Tucker)

That's all I'll post for now, but I'm very interested in what other people may have found or come up with on this subject. Best wishes!

[Ganaraska]

Possibly the closest thing to a 1960s Tucker would be a Corvair. Tucker was already talking about a smaller car for their next model.

How about a 1960 Corvair with some Tucker touches, like a center headlight, a water cooled engine and 6 exhaust pipes?

[Tuckerfan1053]

This kit car would be good as a base for building a Carioca, I think.

http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/20 ... -yourself/